Scientists Call For More Research On Plastic Pollution

Scientists are calling for research on the impacts of micro plastics on whales, sharks and rays that strain tiny food, like plankton, out of seawater.

They say the ocean giants face "significant risks" from microplastics.

Estimates suggest some whales may be ingesting hundreds of fragments of plastic a day.

The gulf of Mexico, the Mediterranean sea, the bay of Bengal and the coral triangle are priorities for monitoring.

Researchers from the US, Australia and Italy looked at data on threats to large filter feeders from microplastics. These small plastic pieces less than five millimeters long can be harmful to the ocean and aquatic life.

Contamination from microplastics has the potential to further reduce the population sizes of the large filter feeders.